Controller for pump and valve

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an apparatus including a pump  1  driven by an electronically controlled electric motor  3  with a pump controller  4  and a valve  2  operated by an electronically controlled drive  10  with a valve controller  11 , the valve controller  11  being partially or fully integrated in the pump controller  4.

[0001] The invention relates to an apparatus including a pump driven byan electronically controlled electric motor with a pump controller and avalve operated by an electronically controlled drive with a valvecontroller.

[0002] Such apparatuses are known for example in the motor-vehiclefield. The valve is there in particular a multiple-position valve thatcan be driven by a linear or rotary drive, for example by a rotarysolenoid, a stepping motor, or a direct-current motor. Independent ofthe type of drive mechanism of the valve there are position sensors thatensure an exact positioning of the valve body.

[0003] In these known apparatuses both the pump and the valve each havetheir own controllers that each include a power circuit, a processor,and a communication module. The two controllers are advantageouslyconnectable by a data bus to a separate or superior controller.

[0004] German patent 4,335,403 describes a hydraulic device with twosuch controllers. This hydraulic device has a pump driven by analternating-current motor that is controlled by an adjustment element.The rotation rate of the motor is thus set by a frequency controllerthat receives appropriate instructions from a master controller. Inaddition the hydraulic device has a valve that is controllable via acontroller separate from that of the pump. Communication between thefrequency controller of the motor of the pump on one hand and thecontroller of the valve on the other hand takes place via the mastercontroller. In this hydraulic device no further communication with otheroutside components is provided.

[0005] For the case where both the controller of the pump and thecontroller of the valve must communicate with such external components,for example for remote control or setting of temperature parameters,valve settings, or to conduct diagnoses, both controllers need acommunication module.

[0006] The two controllers thus require as a result of the respectivecommunication modules substantial space and high cost, while theconnection of the two controllers also is a complex installation andgives quite some room for error. In addition plugs or connectors as wellas cables are needed in substantial quantities and various lengths.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatusof the above-mentioned type that is of simple and inexpensiveconstruction and easy to use, that is of modest overall dimensions andlight weight, and that is fast and easy to install and connect. It onlyrequires a minimal number of connections and short connecting paths.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention by theapparatus according to claim 1. It is significant that the valvecontroller is fully or partially integrated into the pump controller.

[0009] The main advantage is that at least some components of the valvecontroller can be eliminated. The functions of the eliminated componentsare taken over by the pump controller. This leads to a reduction of thespace needed to install the valve or the valve controller and inparticular to a reduces cost for installing and connecting the device.Possibilities of error are thus reduced to a minimum. It is alsopossible to make and install the device in this manner particularlyinexpensively.

[0010] It is particularly advantageous when the valve controller iscompletely integrated in the pump controller.

[0011] It is further particularly advantageous when modules and/orcomponents are provided in the pump controller that take over some orall the functions for valve control through the pump controller.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the electric motordriving the pump has a power circuit, a processor, and a communicationmodule for communicating with a separate master controller, and thedrive mechanism driving the valve is connected via a communicationmodule and in particular via a power circuit to the separate mastercontroller, at least the communication module of the drive mechanism ofthe valve being integrated in the pump controller. The communicationmodule is the largest part of the controller so this saves the greatestamount of the needed space.

[0013] It is particularly advantageous when the drive mechanism and inparticular the power circuit of the valve is connected via thecommunication module of the pump controller to the separate mastercontroller. In this manner only a single communication module is neededfor both the pump and valve.

[0014] The space requirements of the valve can be reduced in that thedrive mechanism of the valve is controlled via a processor that isintegrated into the pump controller.

[0015] Here it is particularly advantageous when the power circuit ofthe drive mechanism of the valve is controlled by the processor of thepump controller. Thus only a single processor is needed for the pump andthe valve.

[0016] The space requirement for the valve can further be reduced inthat the power circuit of the drive mechanism of the valve is integratedin the pump controller.

[0017] In a particularly preferred embodiment the power circuit of thedrive mechanism of the valve is controlled via an evaluating unit havingat least one temperature sensor, at least one flow sensor or at leastone pressure sensor for the liquid moved by the pump. The sensor(s) canthus detect the temperature and/or the flow rate and/or the pressure ofthe pumped liquid.

[0018] It is further particularly advantageous when the valve isdirectly connected to or integrated into the pump. In this manner theexpense of mounting and connecting the apparatus according to theinvention is reduced to a minimum. Only a few plugs and in particular afew shorts cable are needed. The apparatus can be installed in thetightest spaces and made modular.

[0019] In a further particularly preferred embodiment the pump formswith the electric motor and the pump controller together with the valveand the drive mechanism as well if necessary with at least one sensor amodule or unit that is connected via at least two hydraulic connectionsto a liquid-cooling system and via at least one electrical connection tothe separate master controller.

[0020] The liquid-cooling system can be the coolant system for acombustion engine of a motor vehicle or the hot-water circuit of aheating system.

[0021] Further advantages and features of the invention are given in thefollowing description and in the embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0022] Therein:

[0023]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a standard apparatusaccording to the prior art;

[0024]FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus according tothe invention;

[0025]FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a variant on the apparatusaccording to the invention;

[0026]FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a further variant on theapparatus according to the invention;

[0027]FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus according tothe invention in a combustion engine of a motor vehicle.

[0028] The individual components of the apparatus shown as blocks in thedrawings are referenced the same in all figures.

[0029] The illustration of FIG. 1 corresponds to the known apparatusesthat have a pump 1 and a valve 2. The valve 2 is in the illustratedembodiment a three-way valve although the invention also can be usedwith another type of valve.

[0030] The pump 1 is driven by an electronically controlled electricmotor 3 that is controlled by a pump controller 4. The pump controller 4has a power circuit 5, a processor 6, and a communication module 7 forcommunicating with a separate master controller 8. A data bus 9 connectsthe pump controller 4 to the master controller 8.

[0031] The valve 2 is driven by an electronically controlled drivemechanism 10 that is controlled by a valve controller 11. The drivemechanism 10 is in the illustrated embodiment a stepping motor althoughother drives can be used.

[0032] In the known apparatuses according to FIG. 1 the valve controller11 has a power circuit 12, a processor 13, and its own communicationmodule 14 for communicating with the separate master controller 8. Tothis end the valve controller 11 is connected via a second data bus 15to the master controller 8.

[0033] In the embodiments according to the invention of FIGS. 2 through4 at least the function of the communication module 14 of the valvecontroller 11 is integrated in the pump controller 4. The communicationmodule 7 of the pump controller 4 thus takes care of communication forthe pump controller 4 as well as communications between the valvecontroller 11 and the separate master controller 8. Only a single databus 9 is needed for the communication, saving considerable costs. Thedrive mechanism 10 of the valve 2 (FIG. 4) as well if necessary asfurther provided components of the valve controller 11 (FIGS. 2 and 3)are only connected via a relatively simple and inexpensive controlconnection 16 to the pump controller 4.

[0034] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 the power circuit 12 of thevalve controller 11 has an evaluating unit 17 that determines via twosensors 18 the temperature of the liquid moved by the pump 1 andsupplies them to the valve controller 1 to control the valve 2. In otherembodiments sensors can also be provided to determine the flow rateand/or the pressure of the pumped liquid.

[0035] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2 the valve controller 11 hasa power circuit 12 and a processor 13. In the embodiment of FIG. 3,however, the processor 13 is also integrated into the pump controller 4.The power circuit 12 of the valve controller 11 is controlled thus viathe processor 6 of the pump controller 4 so that only a single processor6 is needed to control both the pump 1 and the valve 2.

[0036] In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the space occupied by the valve 2 isreduced to a minimum in that the power circuit 12 of the valvecontroller 11 is integrated into the pump controller 4. Also here onlyone simple and inexpensive motor-connection cable 16 is needed forconnecting the drive mechanism 10 of the pump 2 to the pump controller4.

[0037] When the valve 2 is connected via hydraulic couplings andelectrical plug connections directly to the pump 1 or when the valve isfully or at least partially integrated into the pump 1 the connectioncable is not needed.

[0038] In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the apparatus according to theinvention is connected as a compact unit 19 to the coolant circuit 12 ofa combustion engine 21 of a motor vehicle. The three-way valve 2connects a conduit from a cooler 22 and a bypass for the cooler 22together and back to the pump 1 which feeds the coolant back again tothe combustion engine 21.

[0039] The unit 19 can be connected particularly quickly and simply viathree hydraulic connections 23 to the coolant circuit 20 and via anelectrical connector 24 to the separate master controller 8. Ifnecessary further connections 25 for connection of further circuitelements, sensors 26, or control devices can be provided.

[0040] The master controller 8 is a motor-management unit by means ofwhich for example instructions from the driver or from automatic controlcircuitry including the sensors 26 sets various operating parameters ofthe motor-vehicle engine 21. Thus for example the motor load canautomatically be reduced when a maximum permissible high temperature isreached, in which case the apparatus according to the invention operatesthe pump 1 and valve 2 as needed.

1. An apparatus including a pump driven by an electronically controlledelectric motor with a pump controller and a valve operated by anelectronically controlled drive with a valve controller, characterizedin that the valve controller (11) is fully or partially integrated inthe pump controller (4).
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,characterized in that the valve controller (11) is fully integrated inthe pump controller (4).
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 ,characterized in that modules and/or components are provided in the pumpcontroller (4) that take over some or all the functions for valvecontrol through the pump controller (4).
 4. The apparatus according toone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric motor(3) driving the pump (1) has a power circuit (5), a processor (6), and acommunication module (7) for communicating with a separate mastercontroller (8) and that the drive mechanism (10) driving the valve (2)is connected via a communication module (14) and in particular via apower circuit (12) to the separate master controller (8), at least thecommunication module (14) of the drive mechanism (10) of the valve (2)being integrated in the pump controller (4).
 5. The apparatus accordingto claim 4 , characterized in that the drive mechanism (10) and inparticular the power circuit (12) of the valve (2) is connected via thecommunication module (7) of the pump controller (4) to the separatemaster controller (8).
 6. The apparatus according to one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the drive mechanism (10) of thevalve (2) is controlled via a processor (13) that is integrated into thepump controller (4).
 7. The apparatus according to claim 4 and inparticular to claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that the power circuit(12) of the drive mechanism (10) of the valve (2) is controlled by theprocessor (6) of the pump controller (4).
 8. The apparatus according toone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power circuit(12) of the drive mechanism (10) of the valve (2) is integrated in thepump controller (4).
 9. The apparatus according to one of the precedingclaims, characterized in that the power circuit (12) of the drivemechanism (10) of the valve (2) is controlled via an evaluating unit(17) having at least one temperature sensor (18), at least one flowsensor or at least one pressure sensor for the liquid moved by the pump(1).
 10. The apparatus according to one of the preceding claims,characterized in that the valve (2) is directly connected to orintegrated into the pump (1).
 11. The apparatus according to one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the pump (1) forms with theelectric motor (3) and the pump controller (4) together with the valve(2) and the drive mechanism (10) as well if necessary with at least onesensor (18) a module or unit (19) that is connected via at least twohydraulic connections (23) to a liquid-cooling system (21) and via atleast one electrical connection (24) to the separate master controller(8).
 12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , characterized in that theliquid-cooling system (20) is the coolant system for a combustion engine(21) of a motor vehicle.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 11 ,characterized in that the liquid-cooling system (20) is the hot-watercircuit of a heating system.